WATERVILLE, May 28--Thomas College and the American Cancer
Society are pleased to announce a new Relay For Life event to be
held at the Thomas College Harold Alfond Athletic Center on
October 23 and 24, 2009.
Relay For Life is a fun-filled,
overnight event that mobilizes communities throughout the nation
to celebrate survivors (anyone who has ever been diagnosed with
cancer), remember loved ones lost to the disease, and raise
money for the fight against cancer. They will join with more
than 4,000 communities nationwide that sponsor Relays, events
which bring together friends, families, businesses, hospitals,
schools, religious organizations...people from all walks of
life.
"Relay For Life is an awareness raiser about the
progress against cancer, as much as it is a fundraiser," said
Melissa Cushman, Community Executive for the American Cancer
Society. "Individuals who are willing to give their time and
energy to this exciting event as a volunteer or participant have
made a commitment to fight back against this disease and let the
community know that you can beat cancer."
Teams of 8 to 15
members will gather in the Harold Alfond Athletic Center with
tents and sleeping bags to take turns walking the track. Each
team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times
during the event. Teams seek sponsorship prior to the Relay, all
with the goal of raising money for the fight against cancer.
This is the first Relay For Life at Thomas College. Thomas' new
student group, ASSIST (A Society of Students in Service
Together) will be helping to sponsor, organize and run the
event. The event is open to the public.
"When approached by
the ACS last fall to host this event, I saw it as an opportunity
to honor those who are fighting this disease, as well as those
who have lost the battle to it," says Thomas' Assistant Dean of
Students, Hannah Gladstone who will be advising the ASSIST
group. "Having just lost my mother to pancreatic cancer this
past winter, I felt it was my personal mission to provide this
opportunity to others. It will be a great event for our
community to participate in. It is a great way for Thomas to
give back to the community, while building our own."
For more
information about the Relay For Life program and/or to sign up
your team, please visit
www.relayforlife.org/watervilleme or contact Melissa
Cushman at 207-373-3723 or
Melissa.Cushman@cancer.org. For more information about the
Thomas Relay For Life, please contact Hannah Gladstone at
207-859-1216 or gladstoneh@thomas.edu.
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